Electric elevator safety appliance.



No. 733,715. PATENTED JULY 14. 1903.

E. L. & G. HAIL.

ELECTRIC ELEVATOR SAFETY APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1. 1902.

10 MODEL.

INVENTUR \X/ITNEE EE: I A 5 7. l (fil ilk/34H, Q, g L 0 3 0 73 ilNirnn STATES Patented July 14, 1 .903;

PATENT OF I E.

EDWARD L. HAIL AND GEORGE HAIL, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

ELECTRIC ELEVATOR SAFETY APPLIANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 733,715, dated July 14, 1903;

Application filed April 1, 1902.

T0 (LZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWARD L. HAIL and GEORGE HAIL, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Elevator Safety Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to elevator safety mechanisms by means of which the car is prevented from leaving a landing when the door thereat is open or ajar, and relates more particularly to that class of mechanisms in which the locking mechanism is electrically controlled.

The object of the present invention is to provide certain improvements in mechanisms of the class named by means of which the construction is simplified, the installation is more easily effected, the certainty of operation increased, and the general efiiciency enhanced.

On the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents in diagrammatic view one embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 represents the locking device in detail. Figs. and l represent a door-controlled switch. Fig. 5 represents the main switch. 6 represents in section the switch on the car.

011 the drawings the landing-doors, which open into the elevator-well, are indicated at a, the elevator-car at b, and the wheel by which the motor of the hoisting mechanism is controlled at c. The direct valve or motor-controlling mechanism, shown in this case as the wheel, is governed by the usual hand-rope or by a lever on the car,neither of which is shown, as they are well known, said wheel beingillustrated as the valve-wheel of a hydraulic apparatus. To the shaft 0 of the wheel is secured a locking member consisting of an eccentric or cam 0 having a notch or socket lVith the member a is adapted to engage a complemental locking member consisting of a verticallymovable bolt (1, arranged to slide in a suitable guide (1, attached toa stationary support. (Not shown.) A stop (Z limits the extent to which the bolt may drop.

The wheel may be directly locked by the engagement of the locking-bolt therewith or by engaging a recess in an auxiliary or locking member connected to the shaft and movable therewith and being in looking effect identical therewith. Therefore in the state- Serial No. 100,958. (No model.)

ment in the claims that the locking-bolt directly engages the said wheel it is apparent that the member 0 is to all intents and pur poses a part of the wheel. This is in contradistinction to locking the valve-rope, which extends around the wheel and which is subject to stretching and shrinking under varied atmospheric or thermal conditions.

A chain or other flexible or articulated connection e connects the bolt with the long arm f of a three-arm lever f, fulcrumed at f to a plate f and having arotating motion about a center. To the arm f of the leveris attached the rod of a helical spring f which exerts a tension slightly less than the weight of the bolt (1, so as to partially balance it and yet permit the bolt to drop by gravity into engagement with the notched member 0 This spring constitutes a counter-balancing member for minimizing the amount of energy necessary to operate or lift the bolt (1 and to swing or oscillate the lever f-about its center of motion. This member therefore acts in the same direction as the armature and permits of the employment of a less powerful magnet than would be required were the spring or its equivalent omitted.

The short arm f of the lever f plays between two stops 011 the plate f and is connected by a chain or other connection with a lever g, fulcrumed at g to a bracket 9 and limited in its movement by an adjustable stop 9 The end of the lever g carries the armature h of a magnet h, which when a circuit is passed through its coils attracts the armature and lifts the bolt to an inoperative position. Upon the circuit being broken the armature is released and the bolt is allowed to drop into engagement with the complemental member.

' The lever f operates as a device for multiplying the movement imparted from the armature to the bolt, since the movement of the armature is much smaller than is requisite for the bolt. It is evident that other electromagnetic devices, such as a solenoid and core, might be employed in lieu of the magnet and armature thus described.

The current of electricity is supplied from a generator 1' through the main conductors LII i and a branch circuit comprising the conductors j j j j the magnet h, and a series of normally closed doorcontrolled switches, (indicated as a whole at 715 7;.) Any form of switch may be employed, though the one shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is satisfactory. Referring to said figures, 7.," indicates the switch-lever or movable contact, and L the stationary contact, from which the movable contact is drawn by a spring 7C3 when the door a is opened. The plate It, on which the lever 7t" is fulcrumed and which is attached to the door-frame, has a tubular guide H for a finger 7;, pivoted to the lever 7c and projecting into the path of the door in such a way that when the door is fully closed its edge engages the finger and thrusts it to the position shown in Fig. 3 to close the electrical connection between the lever It" and the contact 712 Upon the initial movement of the door to open position the spring k eifects the breaking of the electrical connection, and consequently the bolt d is released by the magnet 71.

In the branch circuit between the conductors i" i is placed a main switch m, having a normally operable lever m and a stationary contact 721*, (see Fig. 5,) and an illuminatinglamp n, which may be located in some place where a light is continuously needed. Between the conductors j and f is inserted a circuit consisting of a conductor 0 and a rheostat or resistance 0, and between the conductor j and the conductor 7' is a shunt or loop circuit consisting of a conductor 12, leading to the car, and a normally open springswitch p. (See Fig. 6.) The provision of the last-mentioned shunt or loop circuit provides for the attendant on the ear temporarily closing the circuit through the magnet to retract the bolt (Z in case any one of the doors be opened at a landing different from that at which the car happened to be located or in case a door he opened when the car is between two landings. The spring-switch, being held normally open, will return automatically to said normal position when the attendant removes his finger, and there isno chance for him to permanently throw the door-switches out of action.

The provision of the gravity-lock in conjunction with the normally closed door-circuit provides against the apparatus getting out of order without the knowledge of the attendant, as is often the case when a normally open circuit is employed, since the breakingof the circuit releases the lock,which by its weight is caused to lock the controlling mechanism. Again, the breaking of the circuit at night by means of the main switch on effectively prevents any one from acciden tally or maliciously starting the car after the attendant has left it, as for the night.

The flexible line by means of which the attendant controls the alve-wheel is subject to changes and variations from thermal and other atmospheric conditions, as well as from its usage, and it is therefore desirable in many cases to relieve it from all unnecessary strain and wear. Consequently for this reason we so arrange the safety apparatus that the bolt engages the valve-wheel or some part directly connected thereto.

We do not herein claim, broadly, the electric system including the arrangement of the circuit and the resistance-circuit 0 and the door-circuit in multiple, as it forms the subject-matter of an application, Serial No. 101, 922, filed concurrently herewith by George Hail.

Having thus explained the nature of the invention and described a way of construct ing and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made or all of the modes of its use, we declare that what we claim is 1. A safety appliance for elevators, comprising a valve-wheel located at the bottom of the well, a car movable relatively thereto, a gravity-lock for said wheel, an electromagnet and its armature, connections between said armature and said look by which the unlocking movement imparted to the lock is multiplied in transmission from the armature, and a normally closed electric circuit including said magnet and also including one or more door-controlled switches, whereby when the doors are closed the lock is held in operative position, but drops by gravity into position to prevent the actuation of said valve-wheel upon the opening of a door and the breaking of the circuit.

2. A safety appliance for elevators, comprising a valve-wheel having a locking member, a plurality of doors, a car movable relatively to said valve-wheel, a sliding lock for engaging with the locking member on the said valve-wheel, an clectromagnet having its armature connected to said lock, switches adapted to be operated by the doors, and a normally closed electric circuit including said switches and said electromagnet for holding said sliding lock in an inoperative position, whereby the breaking of the circuit effects the release of the lock and permits it to slide into engagement with the locking member on the Valvewheel.

3. A safety appliance for elevators, comprising a plurality of doors, a valvewheel, a lock to prevent the actuation of the said valvewheel, an electromagnet and its armature connections between the armature and the lock comprising a flexible member, switches adapted to be operated by said doors, and a normally closed electric circuit including said switches and said electromagnet for holding said lock in an inoperative position while the said doors are closed.

a. A safety device for elevators comprising a valve-wheel and a locking member connected thereto, a car movable relatively to said valvewheel, a lock adapted when released to move into engagement with the said locking member, an electromagnet having an armature, flexible connections between the armature and locking member by which the move ment imparted to the locking 1n emberis multiplied in transmission from the armature,

door-controlled switches, and an electric circuit including said switches and said magnet, substantially as described.

5. A safety appliance for elevators, comprising a valve-wheel, a car movable relatively to said valve-wheel, a locking member adapted when released to move into position to prevent actuation of the said wheel, an electromagnet having an armature, connections between the armature and the locking member, by which the unlocking movement imparted to the locking member is multiplied in transmission from the armature, door-com trolled switches, and a normally closed electric circuit including said switches and said magnet, substantially as described.

6. A safety appliance for elevators, comprising a valve-wheel, a car movable relatively to said valve-wheel, a counterbalanced locking member adapted to move into position to preventthe actuation of the said wheel, an electromagnet, an armature, and means for multiplying the movement transmitted from the said armature to the operative portion of the said locking member, doorcontrolled switches, and a normally closed electric circuit including said switches and said magnet.

'7. A safety appliance for elevators, comprising a valve-wheel, having a lockin memb er connected thereto, a rectilineally-movable locking-bolt to engage the said locking member connected to the valve-wheel, a bell-crank lever having a short arm and a longer arm, its longer arm loosely connected to the bolt, an electromagnet and its armature, connections between said armature and the shorter arm of said bell-crank, and a door-controlled electric circuit including the magnet.

S. A safety appliance for elevators comprisin g a direct motor-con trolling mechanism at the bottom of the well, a locking member to prevent the actuation of the motor-controlling mechanism, a fulcrumed lever having a short arm and a longer arm, an electromagnet' and its armature, connections between said armature and the short arm of said lever, yielding connections between the longer arm of said lever and said locking mechanism, and a door-controlled electric circuit including said magnet.

9. A safety appliance for elevators comprising a plurality of doors, a valve-wheel, a lock to prevent the actuation of said valvewheel, a car movable relatively to said valve wheel, an electromagnet and its armature, an articulated connection between said armature and said lock, switches adapted to be operated by said doors, and an electric circuit including said switches and said electromagnet whereby the lock is in an inoperative position when said doors are closed but prevent the actuation of the said valve-wheel when the doors are opened.

10. A safety appliance for elevators, including a car, a controlling device, a lock therefor, an electromagnet which when energized holds the lock in inoperative position,

a door controlled normally closed electric circuit including the magnet, and a loop-din cuit in multiple with the magnet and including a normally open switch on the car for temporarily closing the circuit through the mag net when the door-controlled circuit isbroken.

11. A safety appliance for elevators, includin g a car, a valve-wheel, alock therefor, a door-controlled circuit including a magnet coacting with said lock, and a branch circuit in multiple with the magnet and including a switch located on the car for releasing the controlling device from the'lock.

12. A safety appliance for elevators comprising a plurality of doors, a direct motorcontrolling mechanism located entirely at the bottom of the well, a car movable relatively to said direct motor-controlling mechanism, a lock including a movable bolt adapted to engage said controlling mechanism, an electromagnet and its armature, a movable connection between said armature and said lock, switches adapted to be operated bysaid doors, and an electric circuit including said switches and said electromagnet whereby the lock is in an inoperative position when said doors are closed but prevents the actuation of said controlling mechanism when the doors are opened.

13. A safety appliance for elevators com.- prising a controlling device, located entirely at the bottom of the well, a car movable relatively to said motor-controller, a locking .member adapted to move into engagement with said motor-controller, an electromagnet, an armature, a counterbalancing means connected with said locking member and acting in the same direction as the armature for counterbalancing the locking member and reducing the power required to operate said locking member, said locking member, said electromagnet, said armature, and said counterbalancing means, being all located at the bottom of the well in juxtaposition to the controlling device, door-controlled switches, and an electric circuit including said switches and said electromagnet.

14. A safety appliance for elevators comprising a motor-controller, a car movable relatively thereto, a locking member relatively to which the car is movable adapted to move into engagement with said motor-controller, a plurality of doors, operative means between said doors and said locking member whereby when any one of said doors is open, said m0- tor-controller is locked by the locking member, and counterbalaneing means connected with said locking member and acting in the same direction as the operative means whereby a relatively small amount of power is required to operate said locking member.

15. A safety appliance for elevators comprising a plurality of doors, a motor-controller, a car movable relatively to said motorcontroller, and a lock relatively to which the car is movable adapted to engage said motorcontroller and consisting of a locking member an electroniagnet, an armature,a counterbalancing member for minimizing the amount of energy required to operate the said lock, door-controlled switches, and an electric cir cuit including said switches and said magnet.

16. A safety appliance for elevators, comprising a direct motor-controlling mechanism located at the'bottom of the well, a car movable relatively thereto, a gravity-lock for said controlling mechanism and including a bolt, an electromagnet and its armature, connections between said armature and said bolt by which the movement imparted to the said bolt is multiplied in transmission from the armature, an electric circuit including said electromagnet and also including one or more doorcontrolled switches, whereby the lock is in an inoperative position when said doors are closed but engages the said controlling mechanism when the doors are open.

17. A safety appliance for elevators, comprising a direct motor-controlling mechanism located at the bottom of the well, a car movable relatively thereto, a lock for said controlling mechanism including a counterbalanced member adapted to make a locking engagement with the said controlling mechanism, an electromagnet and its armature, and means by which the movement imparted by the armature is multiplied in transmission from the armature to the point of said looking engagement.

18. In a safety device for elevators, the combination of a direct motor-controlling mechanism, a locking member, a flexible connection, a rotating member, a door, an electric circuit including a make-and-break device to be actuated by the said door, and an electromagnetic device to operate the said locking member.

taint 19. In asafety device for elevators, the combination of a direct motor-controlling mechanism, a locking member, a rotating member, a flexible connection operated by said rotating member, a door, an electric circuit including a make-and-break device to be actu ated by said door, and an electromagnetic device to operate the said rotating member.

20. A safety appliance for elevators, comprising a direct motor-controlling m echanism, a car movable relatively to said motor-controlling mechanism, an electromagnot having an armature, a lock adapted to prevent actuation of said motor-con trolling mechanism,said

lock including a locking member and yielding connections, whereby said locking member may be retracted when the said lock is in looking position, door-controlled switches, and an electric circuitincluding said switches and said magnet.

21. A safety appliance for elevators, comprising a direct motor-controlling mechanism, a car movable relatively to said motor-controlling mechanism, an electromagnet having an armature, a locking member to prevent actuation of said motor-controlling mechanism, yielding connections between said armature and said locking member whereby said locking member may be retracted independently of said armature, door controlled switches, and an electric circuit including said switches and said magnet.

In testimony whereof we have affixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

EDXVARD L. HAIL. GEORGE HAIL.

Vitnesses:

HENRY A. GREENE, AUGUSTA ALLEN. 

